


Turn Against the Tide

by battle_goats



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Ensemble Cast, Fix-It, Kairi Gets Her Own Adventure, Keyblade Wielder Kairi (Kingdom Hearts), Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 06:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18911206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: Kairi might be stuck on the Islands while Riku and Sora are gone, but that doesn't mean she plans on standing still.A fix-it to give Kairi the agency she deserves.





	1. What the Water Gave Me

Kairi waited a week to approach the others.  Once the immediate fervor over Sora and Riku being missing died down,  she knew it was safer to ask. Tidus and Wakka were sparring against each other while Selphie watched.

"Hey guys!" she called as she approached.  Wakka and Tidus paused to wave to her.

"Hey Kairi, what's up?" Selphie asked.

"I want you guys to teach me how to fight," she said.  Tidus dropped the sanded stick he used as a sword.

"Why so sudden, that ain't like ya," Wakka said.

"Is this about Riku and Sora being missing?" Tidus asked.  Kairi shrugged.

"Something like that," she said.  "So, will you?"

"Sure," Selphie chirped as she hopped to her feet. 

"Between the three of us, I'm sure we can do a pretty good job," Tidus said as he handed his stick over to Kairi to hold.

And so, every day that they could, they went to the play island to teach Kairi.  She was a quicker study than any of them thought. But she had grown up watching Sora and Riku, so it wasn't entirely shocking when she first successfully used a move Riku was known for.  The quick handspring that launched him feet first at an opponent. Her kick wasn't quite as powerful as Riku's, but it did the trick of taking Tidus by surprise. And it gave her time to scramble for her sword.

* * *

 

Weeks went by, and Kairi found that her usual clothes no longer fit.  She had grown a bit, but her form held more muscle from before. Kairi switched out her purple skirt and white tank top for an pale pink shirt, and a pair of dark purple shorts.  Her hair was also starting to get long enough to be in her way, but still too short to tie up.

It felt strange, having to change her preferred clothing.  Like it was an acknowledgment of time passing. She was growing, visibly getting older.  She distantly wondered how tall Riku would be whenever they saw each other again.

She and Selphie were walking home from school when they passed by the home of the Koujimas.  Mrs. Koujima was dragging boxes out to the curb, with a sign declaring them free.

Kairi curiously approached the pile and saw a few boxes of clothes and toys.  One of which was a wooden toy sword. She had been borrowing an extra Tidus had for practice, but if she had the chance to have one of her own, she'd take it.  She and Selphie looked over the rest of the items in the boxes. Something felt familiar about it all.

"Hello girls!" Mrs. Koujima said as she set down one more box.

"Hello! Where did all this come from?" Selphie asked.

"You know, I have no clue.  Just one day I opened up the spare bedroom and it looked like we've had a boy living here!  I can't fathom who, though. Goodness know we never had any kids," she said. "It's all boys things, but you're welcome to take anything you like."

Kairi frowned.  These things seemed important, but she couldn't remember why.  But she couldn't let these things get thrown away or taken.

It was nearing midnight when Kairi clambered out her bedroom window and hurried down the street.  She had to get those boxes before anyone else did. She spotted the stack out by the property fence and pulled her foster father's head-lamp from her pocket.  He only ever used it the very infrequent times he went cave diving, so it was perfect for lighting the way, but leaving her hands free. There were too many boxes to take back all at once, but she would do her best.

It took her four trips to get it all back to her house, then she quietly unlocked the front door and moved them all into the genkan. 

Finally, she got it all up the stairs and shoved into the back of her closet.  She was exhausted and ready to sleep. It was a good thing she didn't have to get up for school in the morning.  Kairi couldn't possibly explain why it was important she save those things. But it was.

* * *

The first time Kairi beat Selphie in a spar, she was ecstatic.  The feeling of victory was a rush and she whooped and hopped up and down in the sand in triumph.

"That move was amazing Kairi!" Tidus said.  Kairi had pulled off a spectacular move to beat Selphie.  When Selphie had struck with her jump rope, it wound around Kairi's sword and she pulled. Selphie was dragged in close and lost her grip on the rope.  Disarmed and off balance, Selphie was left vulnerable. Kairi attacked. Selphie took Kairi's offered hand and was pulled out of the sand.

"That was really good!  I'll have to watch out for that one from now on." Selphie brushed the sand stuck to her dress off and picked up her jump rope. "Best two out of three?"

Kairi raised her sword in the two handed grip she had come to favor. The stance felt familiar, feet shoulder width apart, knees bent and sword pointed forward at the ready.

"Bring it on!"

Kairi beat Tidus for the first time just after the New Year.  Trips to the play island were fewer during monsoon season. It just wasn't safe to be out on the water in their canoes.  But the day was bright and clear, and not a cloud on the horizon.

Tidus had knocked Kairi back, her sword almost flying from her hands.   But she caught hold of it again in a one handed reverse grip. Tidus had left himself open with a wide swing for greater momentum, so Kairi spun into his defense and landed a direct hit to his ribs.  Tidus grunted and went down. He sucked in deep breaths and grinned up at her.

"At this rate you're gonna be as good as Riku," he said.  Kairi laughed.

"I've got a long way until then," she said.  Kairi pushed her hair back from her face. "I'd have to be able to beat you every single time before that happens."

"Yeah, he always was the best at this out of all of us," Tidus said.

"Took it the most seriously, too," Wakka said as he bounced his blitzball on his knees and elbows.  Kairi stretched out and sighed.

"We should head back, it's already starting to get dark," Selphie declared.

"Yeah.  Don't want anyone getting in trouble," Kairi agreed.  She picked up her sweater and headed for the dock where their canoes were tied up.

They raced back to the main island, which Wakka won, but Kairi came in a close second.  They docked their canoes and rushed home as the last rays of sunlight slipped below the town's low skyline.

Sometimes, Kairi couldn't remember why she had taken up the play sword fighting the boys liked so much.  She knew it had to do with Riku and why he was missing. But sometimes, sometimes she couldn't help but think there was more to it than that.

* * *

Kairi, Tidus and Selphie finished middle school and started high school in the spring.  They joined Wakka at Destiny Islands High School, where the work was harder, took longer, and Kairi found they all had much less time for the play island.  Kairi kept up her practice in her backyard, fighting imaginary opponents, both big and small. Her tumbling improved and her strength got better.

They all settled back into school, and it felt weird to be moving on with her education when Riku had not yet returned to them.  Some part of her knew he was gone for a reason. That somehow, he had made it off the archipelago and into distant worlds. But she had no clue where he was now, or when he would come home.

Kairi's fifteenth birthday came and went. A small party, some gifts, and that was all.  She didn't mind. It was nice. Some new clothes and accessories were among the gifts, and Kairi had fun figuring out a new look for herself.  

She was back in a lavender skirt, but with a pair of bicycle shorts on underneath.  A pale grey crop top, and topped off with a black hooded vest. Selphie had gifted her with a pair of gloves with pink ribbons that could be used to tighten the wrist cuff.

"To protect your hands from more calluses," Selphie said as Kairi tied them on.

The girls in school had a trend of tying their shoelaces around their ankles, but less than five minutes of trying it, Kairi was threading them back into their proper holes and tying them into firm knots.  She would not risk an injured ankle because she wanted to look cute. Her hair was finally long enough to tie back, so into a quick ponytail it went, and she felt great. She looked and felt ready for anything.

Summer rolled around, and Kairi took up small delivery jobs across the islands to keep herself busy.  Wakka had been pulled into helping with the family business. Something both Selphie and Tidus whined about constantly.  They were on summer vacation and were bored since half their group were being _responsible_. In the limited time they had, Kairi never bested Wakka in a fight, but she had gotten really good at deflecting his blitzball back at him.  But she felt confident and ready that if she ever needed to, she could defend herself quite well.

* * *

Towards the end of summer, Kairi began to dream.  At first she thought they were memories. Moments of her childhood she shared with Riku.  Except, there was another boy there. She could never remember the details when she was awake, beyond bright blue eyes and a wide grin.

She didn't mention the dreams to anyone.  At least, not until school started again and the dreams suddenly snapped into clarity one day.

"Do you remember that other boy?" she asked Selphie as they walked home from school.

"Other boy?"

"Yeah.  The one Riku and I used to play with all the time.  What happened to him?" she mused.

"It was always just you and Riku," Selphie said.  Kairi hummed in thought. She could see his face, clear as day. But his name eluded her still.

A few days later, Kairi stood on the beach of the main island and placed a message in a bottle into the surf.

"Come home soon, Riku, Sora," she whispered like a prayer into the sea breeze.


	2. Ocean Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kairi's adventure away from the Destiny Islands begins!

There was a commotion from the Koujima household that caused a bit if a stir.  Mrs. Koujima knocked on Kairi's front door looking absolutely frantic. 

"Kairi! Kairi, sweetheart, do you know what happened to all of Sora's things?" she asked.  She looked like she had been crying, and Kairi had never seen her look so panicked before. "I can't believe I forgot about my boy.  My baby!"

"Mrs. Koujima, please, take a deep breath.  It's going to be okay," Kairi placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder.  Kairi felt some of her light wash over the woman. The shaking in Mrs. Koujima's shoulders subsided, and her panicked breathing slowed and calmed.

"Kairi?"

"It'll be okay.  Come on, I'll show you," Kairi said.  She lead Mrs. Koujima up the stairs and into her room, where she settled her at her desk. Then, Kairi dove into her closet and dragged out four dusty boxes filled to the brim with toys and clothes and various things.

"You saved it all?" Mrs. Koujima asked.

"i did.  It didn't feel right, to see it all get thrown away.  So I grabbed it all, and kept it here. I couldn't understand it.  I forgot Sora too. I think we all did. I don't know how or why. But we remember now.  We remember him, and that's the most important part."

"Do you know where he is?  And Riku too?" Mrs. Koujima asked.  She pulled one of Sora's shirts rom a box, and clutched it tight.  Kairi shook her head.

"No, I don't.  But I know that we'll see them again, and that they're all right," Kairi said.  She handed Mrs. Koujima a tissue from the box on her desk and let the woman collect herself.

"Thank you, Kairi.  you're a wonderful girl.  Those two boys are so lucky to have you as a friend.  And obviously, utterly lost without you," she said with a watery laugh.

"That sounds right.  I think, if we forgot Sora, and didn't even realize it, and now we remember him, I get the feeling we're going to see him, sooner, rather than later," Kairi said.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Our hearts are connected to the people we love.  Our friends, our family, all of them. I hold a piece of Riku and Sora in my heart, as they do with a piece of me.  I know we'll see them soon."

Mrs. Koujima gave Kairi a spine popping hug, then they carted all of Sora's belongings back to the Koujima house.  She insisted on Kairi staying for dinner, which she did happily. Kairi hadn't realized how little time she had spent in the homes of her best friends until now.  How, she had barely spoken to the Koujimas or the Yamimuras after the initial panic over Riku and Sora being missing. She missed her friends dearly, but couldn't imagine how their parents felt about it.

The next day, Kairi dressed for the day and headed down to the beach.  The currents had washed away her message in a bottle, and somehow, she knew it had made it far away from the Islands, even if she had no idea where it had ended up.

Kairi picked up a stick half buried in the sand and swung it idly as she watched the tide.  Waiting was getting tiresome, but she had no means off the world without a gummi ship. She knew she had come to the Destiny Islands by means other than ship.  That much she knew. But Sora and Riku had found her washed up on the beach. She didn't even know why she had ended up on the Islands rather than Traverse Town.  She remembered that most people tended to land in Traverse Town when worlds fell. So it had been strange that her situation had been different.

"I'm sick of waiting around!" she yelled and kicked at the sand.

"Oh, I agree princess," a voice spoke.  Kairi gasped as a portal of pure darkness appeared behind her and a tall man with a mass of long red hair stepped through.  He was skinny under his heavy black coat, and he would be handsome if not for the cocky smirk on his face and anger in his eyes.

"Who are you?" she demanded, as she brandished the stick at him.  It wasn't much of a weapon, but she knew she could hit hard enough to at least make it hurt.

"Let's just say I'm interested in meeting a good friend of yours, and you're going to help me," he said.

"I don't know where Riku or Sora are," Kairi said.  His smirk only grew and he took a step towards her. Kairi stepped back.

"Oh, I know you don't.  But if I have you, Sora will come to me," he said.  Kairi gripped the stick in one hand, fully prepared to defend herself with it. "Now, come quietly, princess."

"No way!"

He lunged for her, and Kairi easily danced out of the way.  They carried on like this for several minutes, until the man clearly became frustrated.  With a flick of his wrists, a pair of weapons appeared in his hands, wreathed in flames. He was also now, much faster.  No doubt, he was done holding back thanks to her refusal to cooperate. He spun and threw one of his weapons at her, and Kairi raised her arms to protect herself.

There was a sharp tug at her hearts.  It didn't hurt, instead it felt more like a comfort.  Bright light shone from her hands, and when it faded, she held a keyblade in her hands.  The handguard had the appearance of a pair of crashing waves that formed a heart around the dark blue hilt.  The shaft reminded her of a sunrise, and the teeth of the key were made up of various tropical flowers; hibiscus, plumeria, anthuriums and orchids.  And finally, dangling from a red woven cord was a wayfinder made up of tiny thalassa shells.

A whisper echoed in her heart; _Tranquil Deep_.  She knew, this was the name of her keyblade. The hilt was a little too short to grip with two hands, so Kairi qui6kly adjusted her stance, copying Tidus's, with her feet apart, and Keyblade held by her side at the ready.

"A keyblade?  But how?" the man demanded in shock.  Kairi wasn't sure herself. But she wasn't one to question it.  Enough strange things had happened that she could roll with this.  But this man was a wild card. She had no idea what he would do, or how he would react.  Kairi dodged one of his spinning weapons, and blocked the other. Her keyblade trembled with the impact.  He certainly hit a lot harder than Wakka did.

Kairi had to get him off this world.  But she refused to be taken prisoner. Not again.  Least of all to act as bait to hurt one of her boys.  She could only see one way off the island, and it was through that portal.  A bark drew their attention. A familiar golden dog stood in front of the portal.  Kairi recognized Pluto and charged straight at the man. he was so shocked by her tactic that Kairi easily pivoted in the water packed sand and spun around him.  Keyblade in hand, she dove fearlessly into the darkness.

* * *

Kairi came to with a gasp.  She'd made it! Off the Islands, through that darkness, which luckily, the light of her heart had protected her from, and come out the other side.  Though, she had no idea where she was. The architecture didn't look like Traverse Town.

"Olette, she's awake!" a boy's voice called.  A girl with short curly hair and an orange tank top knelt beside Kairi.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay.  Where am I?" Kairi asked.  She slowly got up and leaned against the wall for support.  The light was dimming, so she knew it was either sunrise or sunset.  

"You're in Twilight Town," the girl said. "That weird portal thing spat you out by our hideout.  So we brought you here before any adults could see."

"Huh?"

"There's been a lot of funny things happening, you see.  And that weapon you have looks a lot like our friend's. So we thought it would be better for you to wake up with us.  My name's Olette."

"I'm Kairi."

Olette motioned to a pair of boys standing behind her. "These are Pence and Hayner."

"Hiya!" the boy with brown hair waved.

"Hey," the blonde boy said.

"That friend of yours. What was his name?" Kairi asked.  A boy with a keyblade could only mean Sora, but she had to be sure.

"His name was Sora.  He's a funny guy, but pretty cool.  Something about him felt kinda familiar.  Like we'd already met, and knew him," Hayner said.

"That's Sora, making friends wherever he goes," Kairi said. "Was there another boy with him?  With silver hair?"

The others shook their heads. "No, it was just Sora, Donald and Goofy," Pence said.  Kairi hummed in thought. More than likely, the trio would have left via gummi ship, so now, she was once again stuck.  It was frustrating.

"Do you guys mind showing me around town?" Kairi asked.  The others grinned ad she found herself towed along to see all the most important parts of town.  The sun in Twilight town never fully set, only dimmed and brightened as it cycled through the sunset.  Everything was calm and fun until they cut through the square where a sport called Struggle was held. The man in the black coat had caught up to her.

"Man, you might actually be more trouble than you're worth, princess," he sneered.  Kairi drew her keyblade. She knew she was out-matched, but she had to at least try.

"Get back, you three," she said to her new friends.  Hayner looked like he wanted to argue, but wisely did not.  The man attacked. Their weapons clashed, and he took advantage of his superior height and reach to try and grab at her.  Kairi spun her keyblade and struck him in the wrist. He jumped back and a wall of fire sprang up around him. Kairi winced at the heat, now truly feeling out of her depth.  

"I've got you now, princess," he said, a triumphant glint in his eyes.

"The name is Kairi!" she snapped back.

"And I'm Axel, got it memorized?"

Axel shifted his feet to charge her again when suddenly, his flames were doused in water, and he was covered in thick ice.  He looked panicked for a moment.

"You're a tough girl to find, Wielder." Kairi whipped around to see a duck carrying a staff in one hand, and wearing a brown leather jacket and scarf. "Master Yen Sid sent me to find the new keybearer that'd landed here, and here I find you, already picking a fight with the Organization."

"Uh, who-who are you?" Kairi asked.

"Name's Della Duck.  I believe you've met my brother Donald?" Della let the staff rest on one shoulder and the ice encasing Axel shattered.  He grunted in pain and waved a hand behind him. Another portal opened up, and he stepped into it.

"I'll get you next time, princess," he sneered as he disappeared.  Kairi let herself relax just a little.

"Thank you," Kairi said.

"Anytime.  You held your own pretty well there," Della said. "Anyway, if you want to avoid anymore Nobodies from coming back, we'd better get going." Della started to walk away.  

"Hey, wait!" Kairi hurried after her. "What's a Nobody, and why is one after me?"

"Nobodies are born when a person loses their heart, and their body is left behind with a particularly strong will.  Master Yen SId can explain it better than I can," Della said. "As for your second question, I have no idea." Kairi followed her past main street where the trolley ran, up to the train station.

"Can I ask a strange question?" Kairi asked.

"Shoot."

"How come Donald sounds, uh, the way he does, when you talk perfectly fine?" Kairi asked.  It was only after she asked the question did it occur to her that it might be rude. Instead Della only laughed.

"Yeah, no one in the family is really sure why.  He's always been that way though."

They purchased a pair of train tickets and boarded a strange looking train that had the distinct taste of magic to it.  Kairi watched the scenery go by until it suddenly morphed into a sea of stars.

"Whoa!" she cried. "This is amazing!"

"If you think this is amazing, wait until you meet the master," Della said.

"Who is he?'

"He's the oldest living keyblade master.  He trained King Mickey himself, though, he hasn't picked up his own keyblade for years.  I hear he has both of your friends as his unofficial apprentices now."

"Sora and Riku?  Riku has a proper keyblade now?"

"He must if Master Yen Sid took him on.  He wants to meet you too. There's never been a Princess of Heart who was also a keyblade wielder," Della told her.  Kairi looked out the window and saw that they were approaching a new world. The train slowed and stopped and they quickly hopped off.  The train whistle sounded and it chugged away into the distance.

Della lead Kairi into the tall tower they stood in front of.  The taste of magic got stronger on her tongue and it felt like it buzzed beneath her skin.

"Welcome to the Mysterious Tower," Della said with a grand sweeping gesture.  Kairi smiled and followed along after the duck. Kairi distantly wondered if Goofy had a relative who would add themselves to their party if they end up traveling.  

The tower had way too many stairs for Kairi’s liking.  She felt like her legs were going to fall off by the time they reached the final door.

“Why does he live at the very top of the tower?” Kairi wheezed.  She plopped down on the top step and groaned as her legs protested the movement. “Why couldn’t he live on the first floor?”

“Beats me, but at least you didn’t have to carry buckets of water up those stairs for training,” Della said. “Now hop to it, we don’t wanna waste anymore time when we could be adventuring.”

Kairi heaved herself to her feet, and tried to will away the shaking in her knees.  Della pushed the door open, and Kairi was face to face with a room that was far more disappointing than it should have been.  She was expecting the room to be filled with books, and magical artifacts, with next to no room to move. Instead she was faced with a mostly empty room, with only a few things on wall shelves.  Most of the room was dominated by a heavy wooden table and high stiff-backed chair.

“So, where is he?” Kairi asked.  She really hoped this wouldn’t end up being a waste of time.  Or worse, a trap. Which in hindsight, she was far too willing to trust Della, just because she had saved her from Axel.  A ping of light traveled in through the window and alighted over the chair. There was a flash, and suddenly a stern old man in blue robes and a pointed hat stitched with shooting stars.

“Thank you for bringing the new keybearer here so quickly Della,” he said.  Even his voice sounded like a mysterious wizard. Or that he was trying too hard to sound mysterious.  Kairi hadn’t quite made up her mind about that. But now he was looking directly at her, as if measuring her worth.  Kairi stood up straighter and held her head high. She was a Princess of Heart, and she was a keyblade wielder. She knew her worth, and whatever this old man thought of her, she could handle it.

“Hello, Master Yen Sid.  I’m told you’re quite a powerful wizard, and a keyblade master of old,” she said.

“That is correct, Kairi.  I was quite surprised when I sensed a shift in the light.  The birth of a new keyblade, and the arrival of its chosen wielder had landed in Twilight Town.  How did you find yourself there?”

“I was accosted by a man named Axel.  He planned to kidnap me to draw out Sora.  I jumped into the tunnel of darkness he used to arrive on Destiny Islands and ended up in Twilight Town,” Kairi said.

“I see.  Most troubling to hear of a member of Organization XIII moving independently of their master.  Whatever their motives might be, stay on your guard, for the Organization can be a formidable foe.”

Kairi nodded.  She was perfectly aware of that.

“May I ask, why you wanted me brought here?” she asked.

“Never have I seen such a heart, so pure.  Not a touch of darkness within you. Your friends, Riku and Sora are currently on their own missions at my behest.  But you are new to your keyblade, and will need time to acclimate to using it. And of course, learn more magic than simply channeling your inner light.  I propose that you go on your own journey, accompanied by Della, to learn the ways of the keyblade.”

Kairi couldn’t believe her ears.  Her own adventure. It was like a dream come true.  It was something she had yearned for since Sora had restored the Destiny Islands.  And to get the chance to was not something she was going to pass up.

“In the old days, when there were far more of us, it was more common to keep our apprentices close, until they were ready to begin traveling to other worlds.  But, such times are long over. I have since passed on my own keyblade to my former apprentice, and I have no doubt you have the patience to sit through the ramblings of an old man, I know it is adventure you seek.”

Kairi smiled.  She felt ready to go already. "Yes, I want to learn to use my keyblade, and I don't want to just sit around and wait for Sora and Riku to come home."

"Then you have come to the right place.  Your journey may be a dangerous one, and I cannot say what sorts of lessons you will learn.  But no matter what it may be, it will be valuable to you," Yen Sid said. Kairi nodded. "Della, I would like you to teach Kairi the art of magic on your journey."

"I won't let you down, Master," Della said.  She tapped the butt of her staff on the floor and gave a lazy salute.

"Before you go, please see the three Good Fairies in the next room.  They will see to it that you are properly equipped for your travels."

Taking the dismissal for what it was, Kairi made for the door and tugged it open.  She stepped into the room to find it empty of anyone.

"Hello?" she called out.

"Oh my!  A princess!"

"She doesn't look like a princess.  Not like our Aurora."

"No, Merriweather.  Her heart. She's a Princess of Heart like Aurora is!"

Kairi spun around searching for the source of the voices.

"Yeah, I'm a Princess of Heart.  I'm also a keyblade wielder," Kairi said.  Three colored motes of light floated across her vision, and in a flash similar to Yen Sid's, the three fairies fluttered before her.

"Goodnes, that is quite a feat, my dear," the red one said.

"Thank you."

Della cleared her throat, one foot tapping impatiently.  For the first time, she really did look a lot like Donald. "We need to outfit her," Della said.

"Oh yes, of course.  Not to worry, we'll have you ready in a jiffy," the red fairy said. "I'm Fauna, and those are Flora and Merriweather.  Oh it wasn't that long ago we had those two strapping young lads in here."

"Sora and Riku?" Merryweather asked.

"Of course.  Both so handsome," Fauna said. The three fairies fluttered around Kairi as they worked.

"They're my best friends," Kairi said.  The fairies drew long thin wands from their robes and held them aloft.

"Now just hold still dear, this will only take a moment."

Magic tingled over Kairi's skin and she felt the clothes she wore transform around her.  When the light produced by the magic cleared, she eagerly looked in the mirror to see what had changed.  Her pale purple canvas sneakers were replaced by a pair of sturdy black boots. She tapped the toe against the ground, and felt the leather give easily.  Her skirt and shorts were unchanged, but now a belt with large pouches hung from her waist. Her crop top was also gone, and its place was a black tank top that felt thick to the touch, but surprisingly airy..  Her vest was now the same color as her skirt and felt heavier as well, and from wrist to bicep black compression fabric encased her arms.

"Wow!" she gasped. "I look so cool!"

"Your clothing is all reinforced to protect you from physical blows.  Your vest will keep you warm or cool, no matter the weather you encounter," Fauna said. "Oh, if only we could have all three of you here together, what a wonderful picture you would be!"

"Which one of them is your prince?" Flora asked Kairi eagerly.  She blushed at the unexpected question.

"They both are," Kairi answered. "I hold them in my heart, as they do mine.  One sky, one destiny."

"Oh, that's wonderfully romantic.  But you had best be going now. Can't keep your adventure waiting," Fauna said with a shooeing motion.  Kairi and Della bid their good-byes and returned to Yen SId's study.

"A gummi ship has been prepared for you.  Travel safely, and may your heart be your guiding key," Yen Sid said.

Kairi hurried down the stairs, excited to get started.  Once outside, they found a gummi ship waiting for them. Della led the way inside and sat down in the pilot's seat.

"So, Kairi, where to first?" she asked.  Kairi sat down and hummed in thought. Then Yen Sid's parting words sank in.

"May your heart be your guiding key..."

Kairi called her keyblade to her hand and held it up.  For a moment, nothing happened. She started to lower it when motes of light began to gather at the end of the blade.  They coalesced into a beam of light that shot forward. The outline of a door formed in the space above the ship, and Kairi heard the sound of a lock opening.

"Looks like we've got our first destination," Della said.  It was hard to tell, but Kairi got the impression that the duck was grinning wickedly. "Hold onto your butt!"

The ship engine roared to life, and they were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am absolutely fudging Della Ducks personality based on her page on the Duck Tales wiki. And before anyone asks, no, Max will not be joining their party. For now, it's just to two of them.


	3. Smoke on the Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kairi and Della arrive on the first world on their adventure.

Kairi had never seen a castle up close before.  And this one towered over the surrounding town, casting a long shadow over the land.  The streets were cobbled, and horses and carriages trundled by. It was in interesting place, to be sure.  She wasn't sure if she felt underwhelmed or not by this first world on her adventure.

“So, what’s this world called?” Kairi asked.  She glanced down at Della, who no one seemed to bat an eyelash at.  Then again, Sora ran around with Donald and Goofy, so there might have been magic involved in why no one seemed to mind or care.

“This is the Castle of Dreams,” Della answered.  They crossed a bridge and were approaching the outer gate to the castle.  They pulled up short to let a short procession of carriages by. The front doors of the castle burst open and a handsome young man swept down the steps.  From one of the carriages, an older man with a thick dark mustache stepped down and bowed to the young man.

“Your highness, we have located your princess bride-to-be,” he said.  The young man smiled as a young woman stepped out of another carriage.

Kairi could make out a moment of hesitance on the prince’s face before it cleared.  They spoke in low tones as an older woman with a severe, cruel face stepped down from the carriage.  Her eyes swept over the courtyard and Kairi ducked behind a shrub lining the road and pulled Della with her.

"Something isn't right here," Kairi said.

"What do you mean?" Della asked.  Something or someone had been tugging at Kairi's heart since they had landed, but she wasn't sure what.  

"Kairi?"

They spun around to see a young woman in worn, but clean clothes standing behind them.

"Cinderella?" Kairi knew what had been pulling at her.  A fellow princess.

"What are you doing here?  How did you get here?" Cinderella asked. "I thought the worlds were all cut off again."

Della looked surprised by Cinderella's knowledge of outside worlds, but didn't say anything.  Cinderella stepped closer and took Kairi by the hands.

"Oh, can you help me?  Something terrible has happened!" Cinderella explained the events of her morning, and her finding the stone statue of her Fairy Godmother.

"We're always told not to interfere with the affairs of other worlds," Della said. "But something tells me things aren't supposed to go like this."

"Sora's always interfering," Kairi said with a laugh. "And what's the point of having a keyblade and being able to travel to other worlds if we can't help when we're asked."

"I thought if I could just see Prince Henri, then he would recognize my face and realize that it's me he danced with at the ball," Cinderella said. "I was going to get in through the servant's entrance."

"Kairi and I might not be able to make that work, but we'll see if we can find a way into the castle," Della said.

“If I'm not able to find Prince Henri, I will return to the servant's entrance and we can come up with a new plan."

"We'll meet you there then.  Be careful, and be safe," Kairi said.

"You too."

The three separated and Kairi and Della began to circle around the outside of the castle walls to find a way in.  The walls were high and scaling them was not going to be easy.

"Look, that window's open!" Della pointed out.  Just visible above the wall was a large set of windows.  The room they led to must have been a large one, though the section of open window was a small one.  But definitely big enough for them to fit through without issue.

"So, how do we get up there?" Kairi asked.  The walls were too smooth without much to work with in terms of foot and hand holds.

"It's time for your first lesson in magic," Della said as she drew her staff.  Kairi grinned and reached for her keyblade.

Kairi's vague memories and impressions from when her heart had been guarded by Sora's had not at all prepared her for the sheer amount of effort it took to cast magic.  It was physically and mentally exhausting, but she powered through. And well, their plan for infiltrating the castle hinged upon her success. But she remembered that air magic had been the last element Sora had learned.  It was the most difficult of the elements to bring to heel. Too wild, too unpredictable and free.

"Everyone has natural affinities, so some spells will come more naturally to them, but you have the heart and will to master it," Della said.  Kairi wiped her sweat from her brow and blew her soaked bangs out of her eyes.

"One more try," she said.  Kairi straightened and raised her keyblade to the sky.  She gathered her magic and imagined a spiraling tunnel of wind to lift them into the air and over the wall. "Wind!"

Kairi's magic burst free from under her skin and pulled at the air around it, gathering and moving it into the form she wanted it to.  Grass and dust kicked up and revealed the funnel of air she had successfully created. The wind rushed in her ears and pulled a gasp from her lips.

"I did it!" she exclaimed with glee.  Della reached up to give Kairi a high five.

"Okay, we gotta be quick now!" They clasped hands and Kairi leaped.

Her stomach twisted and blood rushed to her head as she was launched high into the air.  it was an absolute rush, but also frightening. Kairi steeled herself for the descent. The top of the wall rushed up and Kairi got her feet under her.  A blue glow enveloped her body as she touched down and crouched. She didn't even hesitate to launch herself off the wall, aiming for the window. Kairi slammed into the wall and just barely managed to grab at the window ledge with her free hand.  She wheezed.

"You okay, Della?" she asked.  Della was heavier than she was expecting.

"Yeah.  Pull me up to the window and I'll help you up."

It took some doing, but Kairi managed to pull Della up to the ledge, then hauled herself up.  The room they found themselves in was a training salle. Mats covered the floor and there was an array of training equipment in the room.  One wall was dominated by a massive painting of a beautiful woman. Kairi tilted her head as she studied it.

“Odd place for a painting,” Della said.

“Maybe whoever commissioned it spends a lot of time in here?” Kairi suggested with a shrug. “We’d better see if we can find the prince or Cinderella.”

Kairi strode across the salle and cracked the massive doors open.  She stuck her head out the door and looked around.

“Coast is clear,” she said and slipped through.  The pair slowly navigated the halls, but came to a stop near a door.

“Mother, I don’t think this is a good idea,” a voice said.  Kairi peered through the tiny crack in the door to see the two women from the carriages.

“Nonsense.  You will get your prince charming, and I will have my revenge against Cinderella.”

Kairi glanced at Della and they turned their attention back to the conversation through the door.

"But how will we convince the prince that we danced, you know I'm a terrible dancer," the young woman whined.  The older woman, her mother drew a slim sparkling wand from her sleeve.

"Then we will simple make him believe it was you," she said.  Kairi sucked in a breath at the swirling miasma of darkness that was beginning to envelope the woman.  Kairi resisted the impulse to shove the door open and start a confrontation. She knew it was the fastest way to getting them thrown out, or jailed for trespassing.  They slipped away to find somewhere to hide. Della spotted a door, and quick tap of Kairi's keyblade granted them access.

"That woman.  There's so much darkness coming off of her," Kairi said. She rubbed her hands up her arms to fight off the chill that had settled against her skin.

"And that's a magic wand if I ever saw one.  It must be what she used to trick the prince," Della said. "That wand was different too.  Usually you use one to channel your own magic into spells. But that wand seems to have a magic on it's own.  Otherwise there's no way she would have been able to use it at all."

"So, we should get the wand away from her first?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, that way she can't use it against us, and then use it to reverse everything that she did," Della said.  With their plan in mind, they moved to step out of the room when they heard a commotion. They went unnoticed by the guards, one of whom had Cinderella in a tight grip.

"Please, Prince Henri, it was me you danced with at the ball.  Not Anastasia," she pleaded. The prince glanced between Cinderella and Anastasia, doubt in his eyes  Cinderella reached out, and her hand brushed his before she was pulled away.

"Stop this delusion at once, Cinderella!  You are nothing more than a maid of my household.  Clearly, you are far more trouble than you are worth," Lady Tremaine snapped. "Tomorrow, you will be taken to port and set across the sea, where you will trouble us no longer."

Kairi reacted before she could think it through.

"No!"

She stood between Cinderella and Lady Tremaine.  Her mind raced, but she could hardly think of a word to say with so many eyes on her.

"Who are you? What is the meaning of this?" the prince demanded.

"You're being tricked, Your Highness," Kairi said. "The Lady Tremaine used magic to trick you into thinking that Anastasia is your true love."

For a moment, Kairi thought they had gotten through to him, but she could see it now, a haze of green over his eyes.  Whatever spell had been cast on him had strengthened.

"Enough of this!  Guards, escort this maid from the castle grounds, and make sure she cannot get back in.  And put these two in the dungeons."

Their hands were bound at the wrist and Kairi glanced at Della.  They would take the first opportunity they could to escape and help Cinderella.  Except their plan was foiled by the constant presence of a guard on the other side of the door.

"Can't you put him to sleep?" Kairi asked.

"Not through the door," Della said.  Kairi kicked at the door in frustration and paced for several minutes.

"This sucks!  Cinderella is gonna be sent off to who-knows-where and we’re trapped in a damn dungeon!” Kairi drew her keyblade and slammed it against the door. “I have a giant key for a weapon and I can’t even use it to unlock this door!” _Slam._ “Because then-” _Slam!_ “Every guard in this palace-!” _Slam!_ “Will come after us!”

Kairi dropped her keyblade and collapsed onto the cold stone floor.

“I just wanted to do some good!  Be useful. Not fucking wait around at home while my boys are off on probably dangerous adventures!”

Della placed a hand on Kairi’s shoulder to comfort her.

“I won’t say that it’ll always work out, because that’d be a lie, but we’ll figure something out,” Della said.  Kairi let out a long sigh and leaned her head against the wall.

“I was so excited to do something.  To be...proactive, and here I am, messing it up,” she said. “Sora probably would have been able to laugh his way out of that.  And Riku could probably talk his way out, or fight if that didn’t work.”

“You each have your strengths and weaknesses.  Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Della said. “You recognized the darkness on Lady Tremaine immediately.  Could Sora do that?”

“No, probably not.  He’s really good at seeing the good in people.  When Riku was possessed, he was the one who knew he could be saved.  Most everyone else had given up on him, told Sora to give up. But he refused to.”

“What’s Riku good at?”

Kari hummed in thought.

“He’s always been able to see the bigger picture.  Even when we were little, he’s the one who realized that I’m not from the Destiny Islands.  And if I was able to get to the Islands, then we can get to other worlds.”

“And you can probably rein them both in if they get too far ahead, right?” Della asked.  Kairi laughed.

“Yeah, their little contests were getting out of hand by the time we were all separated.  Who knows, maybe a little distance will help us all grow too,” Kairi said.

That’s the spirit!”

They waited out the hours, eating the food they were provided by a guard, and snatching sleep once they were too tired to stay awake.  But they awoke suddenly to the sound of a struggle outside their cell door.

A familiar face appeared in the small window of the door.

“Psst, hey!  Hey!”

Kairi sat up and blinked away the sleep from her eyes.

“Your Highness?” she asked.

“I need your help!  I’m going to find the guard with the key,” he said.  Kairi hopped to her feet.

“No need!  Stand back, Your Highness!”

Kairi called her keyblade to hand and tapped the tip to the door.  The door creaked open and she and Della shoved it open.

“Come on, Prince Henri, we have a princess bride to save!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come yell with me about Kingdom Hearts and this fic on twitter! @Battle_goats


	4. Tempest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day is saved and Kairi has a revelation.

The escape from the castle grounds was harrowing.  With the guards trying to slow down the prince's horse without harming him, and the sudden appearance of waves of shadow heartless, they were in for a wild ride.  Kairi and Della easily kept the heartless at bay with spells, and a few judicious swings of her keyblade when they got a little too close.

They had barely just cleared the bridge when a massive heartless landed before them.  It wore a burgundy dress with a strange bulbous head and massive acidic green eyes. But it was the wand clutched in one claw that gave it away.  The former Lady Tremaine would not let them by without a fight. Kairi and Della hopped off the back of the horse and raised their weapons.

"Go!  We'll deal with this!" Kairi called to the prince.  He nodded and urged his steed into a full gallop to escape the heartless.

Kairi had never faced down a heartless until today.  At least not armed. The one time when she had been fleeing Hollow Bastion with Donald and Goofy didn’t count.  Kairi took a deep breath and steeled herself for battle.

"You ready, Kairi?" Della asked.

"As I'll ever be," Kairi responded.  She pointed her keyblade forward, and with a cry, she charged.

The heartless waved its wand, and the bridge collapsed into huge chunks of stone that whipped around the battlefield and knocked them around.  Their bulk and movements kept them from getting too close to the heartless. Kairi tracked one, and when it was close enough, she remembered the feeling of magic channeling through her body from the day before and she jumped.  She hopped from stone to stone, magic fueling her movements, until she was face to face with the heartless. Kairi brought her keyblade down on its face. The heartless reared back each time her blows landed until it recovered enough to swipe at her.  Kairi dropped back to the ground, and felt the soothing cool of a healing spell wash over her.

"Thanks!"

"No time to relax!" Della said.  She cast a fireball that struck the heartless in the face.  Kairi grabbed hold of a swinging arm and ran up to press her attack once more.  It cast a spell from its wand, and Kairi was blasted down the road towards the town.  Kairi felt the sting of skinned knees and elbows, as well is dirt ground into her face. She got to her feet slowly before rushing back into the fray.  She had to stop this heartless, and fix the damage that had been done to this world. Kairi dodged around flying debris and drew her keyblade. It came at her call as easy as breathing. Kairi slid under the heartless's spindly legs and blocked a magic blast that was aimed at Della.

Kairi raised her keyblade and felt her magic build up under her skin. "Light!" she cried.

It flowed up her arm and channeled through the tip of her keyblade. It shined with a blinding white light that caused the heartless to screech in pain.  The light flowed out into a concentrated beam that struck the heartessweight between the eyed. It screamed one last time, convulsing as it sank into a black puddle on the ground.  A still and lifeless Lady Tremaine lay in the road, the Fairy Godmother's wand sat near her hand. Kairi rushed forward and snatched it up.

A bone deep exhaustion settled over her, and she sat down to just breath.  Della sat down next to her and handed her a potion.

"Thanks," Kairi said as she took it.  She popped the lid off and tossed it back.  It was sweet with a bitter after taste. She frowned at it, but sighed at the immediate relief it gave her.  Her bruises and scratches healed, and the ache in her body lessened, though it didn't abate completely.

"So now what?" Della asked.  Kairi stared at the wand in her hand.  It was far thinner, and felt like it was made of crystal.  She could feel its magic pulsing within.

"Wait for the prince and Cinderella to get back, I guess.  She might know the incantation, and what to do or say to fix everything," Kairi said. 

Luckily, they didn't have to wait long, as Prince Henri returned with Cinderella seated behind him on his horse.  They came to a stop as Della and Kairi hopped to their feet. Prince Henri helped Cinderella down and Kairi surrendered the wand.

"Thank you so much," she said. Cinderella held the wand aloft. "Return this world to the state it's meant to be in!  Bippity-boppity-boo!"

Clouds surged over head, and a powerful wind ripped at their clothes as day became night and months rushed by them in mere seconds.  Time slowed and settled. They glanced around, but couldn't tell what had changed.

"Oh, Cinderella!  My wand! My goodness gracious, what a mess they made of things!" the fairy godmother approached, a look of worry etched on her brow.  Cinderella handed the wand over, and the fairy sighed.

"How much did they change?" Kairi asked.  

"They undid an entire year! I am just so relieved that everything is fixed now. You've certainly a knack for encountering keybearers, my dear."

Cinderella laughed. "A third time's the charm, I suppose."

"Third?  Who else besides Sora and I?" Kairi asked.

"It feels so long ago, even though I know it isn't. A pair of keybearers came to this world.  They assisted in freeing me from my stepmother."

"Let us head back to the castle. I believe something of a celebration is in order," Prince Henri suggested.

"Oh, a splendid idea! Thank you so much for your assistance, young keybearer," the fairy said to Kairi.  She waved the wand, and in a shower of white sparks, a keychain of one of Cinderella’s glass slippers landed in Kairi’s hands. “A gift for you.”

“Thank you.”

Kairi called her keyblade and swapped out the keychains.  The handguard resembled a very rounded carriage topped with a set of towers that looked the ones that topped the castle.  The teeth of the key resembled a crystalline star burst. Kairi thought it was both elegant, and a little clunky, as she heard the keychain’s name whisper in her heart.  The  _ Stroke of Midnight _ , it was called.

Cinderella was placed back in the saddle, and the prince lead them all back to the castle.  The prince regaled them with the tale of how he had come to his senses and even jumped out a window in pursuit of his true love.  Kairi had nearly doubled over in laughter at the image of him just diving out an open window. It seemed the damage caused by the heartless and Lady Tremaine had magically been fixed by the magic of the fairy godmother's wand.

They returned to the castle where the king waited with his guards.  They all hesitated for a moment before the prince stepped forward.

"Father?"

"What exactly is going on here?!" the king demanded.

"It's rather a long story, I'm afraid.  Why don't we all go inside and discuss if over some lunch," the prince suggested.  The king quickly ran out of steam and Kairi and Della found themselves in the company of royalty.  They wanted to bow out, but knew they couldn't say no without upsetting them. They were covered in dust and dirt, and a little dried blood.  Not at all suitable for sitting with royalty. 

While they enjoyed some of the best food in the kingdom, Prince Henri and Cinderella, who was now Princess Cinderella, haltingly told the story of their adventure.  It was a wild take, that thanking clearly had a hard time believing, but also had no real reason to doubt them.

Son and father became absorbed in quiet conversation, and Kairi finished the cake she had been offered.

"Cinderella, the keybearers you met before, who were they?" she asked.  Cinderella blinked, and a sad look overtook her eyes.

"Sir Terra was kind, if awkward.  Very brave and strong. But Lady Aqua...she was incredible, my knight in shining armor," Cinderella said with a sigh.

"You were in love with her?" Kairi asked. "But what about Prince Henri?"

"I was.  And well, there's no rule saying you can't love two people at once.  I do still love her, in my own way, even if she did not feel the same way.  And I know in my heart I won't see her again. But Prince Henri returns my love, so that's more than enough."

"Oh."

Kairi felt like her worldview had tilted on its axis.  To love two people at once. It was something that had niggled at the back of her mind.  But she was too afraid of it to give the thought much form. Until now. She knew she loved Riku, and she loved Sora too.  She loved them both dearly, and to be separated from them for so long had hurt. To have forgotten Sora had been like a kick to the chest.  Kairi placed a hand on her heart and smiled. It felt affirming, to know others thought it was okay.

"Kairi?  Thinking about Sora?" Cinderella teased.

"And Riku."

"The boy who was working with Maleficent?"

"Yeah.  He's the third in our trio.  Maleficent manipulated him, played at his insecurities.  The ones about Sora and I. When I find him - both of them - I have some important things to tell them."

"I'm sure things will work out just fine, for all three of you," Cinderella said.  Kairi nodded.

Their lunch somehow turned into dinner, and the next thing they knew, Kairi and Della were offered a room to sleep in.  It was so late and they were both exhausted enough to not fight the offer.

Instead Kairi stripped out of her clothes and sank into the bath they'd been provided.  The water was wonderfully hot, and soothed her sore muscles.

"Don't fall asleep in there," Della chided.

"I won't," Kairi yawned.  She had already cleaned the blood and grime off and was just relaxing in the gently scented water.  Della had already finished her bath and returned to the bedroom where a ridiculously large bed sat for them to share.

Kairi very nearly fell asleep in the bath, so she dragged herself out mechanically dried off before putting on the night gown she had been provided.  She slithered under the blankets and curled up.

"Night Della," she mumbled.

"Good night,  sleep tight." The lamp that lit the room was extinguished, and Kairi was asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell that it's been like, 5 years since I last wrote an action scene? Hopefully I'll improve as I go.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kairi gets her government assigned fursona.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I give up on chapter titles

Cinderella presented Kairi with a delicate bangle when she saw them off.  As she already knew about other worlds, there was no harm in her walking with them to their gummi ship.

"It will strengthen your magic," she said.

"Thank you," Kairi said.  Then, Cinderella pulled them both into a hug. 

"Thank you. Kairi, for saving my happy ending.  I'm so glad your light is still so strong."

Kairi's brow furrowed in confusion by Cinderella's words.  But when she really looked at Cinderella, she realized what she meant.  She was strong of heart, with a bright light, but Kairi could feel a faint edge of darkness to her.

"It's time for a new generation, Kairi.  Though, I feel that you will still be apart of it."

"Oh, okay. Maybe we'll see each other again?" Kairi asked.

"Perhaps."

Kairi stepped onto the ramp that led into the ship and gave one last wave.  Della was already waiting in the pilot's seat. Kairi sat down as Della started the engine.

"Where to next?" Della asked.  The ship ascended out of atmosphere.  Kairi stood and held her keyblade aloft. A new path opened up far faster than before and they were off.

 

The new world looked like a sprawling metropolis. Della hummed thoughtfully as they prepared to descend and land.

"This world is gonna require some blending in," Della said.

"Really?" Kairi asked excitedly.  She remembered the worlds where Sora's appearance had changed to match the world.  She couldn't wait to see what she would look like.

The ship stuttered as it touched down and she was up and out of her seat in a moment.

"So what do I do?" Kairi asked.  Della held her staff aloft.

"Just a little transformation magic, and we'll be all set," Della said.  She twirled the staff and a gentle blast of magic washed over Kairi. 

Kairi was shrinking, rapidly.  She looked down at her hands as they shifted in her gloves. She yanked them off to see what had changed.  She had paws! Dark red fur covered the back of her paws and up her arms. Her legs were also furry and her shoes were gone, her bare paws exposed.  Her clothes were still in place though.

"What kind of world is this?" Kairi asked.  She spun around in place. She had a tail!

"According to the scans it's a world where mammals evolved sentience," Della said as she checked one of the various screens on the ship's dashboard.

"Mammals?  So what about you?" Kairi asked.

"I'm a duck.  I think they're just, you know, regular here."

"Will you change into a different animal if you use the magic on yourself?"

"I-I don't know.  Transformation magic changes our appearance based on the environment of the world and sometimes our personalities.  I think it would be safer if I stayed here on the ship. Just in case."

"Are you sure I should go on my own?"

"You're a smart girl and have a good head on your shoulders. I think you can handle it.  But let me teach you another spell before you go. Fire magic is entirely offensive unlike wind magic."

They landed the gummiship in a forested area outside the city, and when Kairi stepped off the ship she could see a road in the distance.  She had managed to learn the fire spell, which had taken less time than wind, but was no less a struggle. Sora had taken to learning magic so easily, it made her wonder why she found it so hard.

Kairi clambered over tree roots and rocks to get to the road.  Everything was so much bigger as such a small animal. Della had said she was a least weasel, a tiny little thing, but a fierce hunter.  She tripped over a stick and stumbled into the road.

A horn blast caught her attention and a truck screeched to a stop in front of her.

"Are you okay?" The truck door opened and a rabbit hopped out.  She darted forward and helped Kairi stand. Kairi knew rabbits weren't tall, but in this form, she towered over Kairi.

"I'm okay.  Just tripped over something," Kairi said. "Thank you for worrying."

"I'm glad I didn't hit you.  I know I was probably driving faster than I should. I was just in such a rush to get back to Zootopia."

"Oh, you're going to the city?  That's where I'm headed," Kairi said.  The rabbit peered at her for a moment.

"Were you walking?" she asked.  

"Uh, yeah.  My ride broke down and my travel companion insisted I go on ahead," Kairi said.

"Would you like a ride?"

"Are you sure?  I'm fine with walking."

"You won't get there before nightfall. I'd feel better knowing you were in city limits before then.  Come on."

"I - okay.  My name's Kairi, by the way," she said and held out a paw to shake.  The rabbit took it and her grip was firm but not too tight.

"Judy Hopps.  Now hop in and we can get going."

Kairi climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up.

"So where you from, Kairi?" Judy asked.

"Oh, a tiny town, you've probably never heard of it," Kairi lied easily.  Judy hummed. "So what has you in such a rush?"

"You've probably heard about several predators suddenly going savage in the city.  I was the cop who found where they'd been locked up by the mayor. But we never figured out the cause during the initial investigation.  I know what it is, I'm going back to get the evidence. I just hope I'm not too late."

"What do you mean?"

Judy glanced over at her, a nervous look in her eye.

"I implied during a press conference that the cause of what was making the predators savage was something inherent in them.  I wanted to help the city, make the world a better place. All I did was make it worse."

"Oh, Judy.  No one's ever good or bad just because of who they are or how they're born.  We all make mistakes, even when we don't mean to," Kairi said. She remembered the words she said to Sora, the evening before they planned to set sail.  The ones that likely gave Riku the courage to open the Door.

'Sora, let's take the raft and go - just the two of us!'

She'd been afraid. Afraid of change, of how Riku was pulling away from them, becoming more withdrawn, moody.  She knew there had been something he felt he couldn't confide in them. And her fear had inadvertently hurt them all.  Kairi owed Riku an apology, and she could only hope he could forgive her.

"What matters is that you're doing something to make things right," Kairi said.

"Yeah, you're right.  Thank you Kairi, I think I needed that."

The truck entered city limits and Judy kept on driving.

"Where do you want to be dropped off?" Judy asked.  Kairi ripped her attention away from the frigid tundra that transitioned into a wet rainforest.

"Um -"

Something slammed into the truck.  Judy hit the breaks and they stared out the windshield at the leopard snarling at them..

"Oh no," Judy gasped.  She reversed to get away, but there was another car blocking their path.  It honked at her and drew the attention of the leopard. Kairi squinted at the leopard.  There was something off about him. Besides the fact that he was on all fours, stalking towards the car behind him. A swirling miasma of Darkness cloaked his form.

"Darkness?"

"We need to get out of here, but I can't let those people get hurt," Judy said.  Her nose twitched and her ears were pressed flat against her head. She looked torn.  Kairi unbuckled her seatbelts and rolled down the window.

"Go on without me, do what you need to do to find out who or what is causing this.  I'll deal with him," Kairi said.

"What? No!"

Kairi had already launched herself out the window and drew her keyblade.  Stroke of Midnight had shrunk to match her size, she just hoped it would be a match against such a large opponent.

The leopard's ear twitched and it turned to face her, only to get smashed in the face by the keyblade.  It staggered back and yowled in pain. Kairi gripped her weapon tight and blinked water from her eyes. Her ears flicked to clear them and she waited.

"Kairi, what are you doing?" Judy demanded.

"Get going!" she yelled.  Kairi dodged the leopard's lunge and pointed her keyblade at him. "Fire!"

The spell hissed and spat in the simulated rain, but still connected.  The leopard was knocked off the road and landed further away. The tires squealed as both Judy and the driver behind her booked it.  Once they were clear, Kairi looked around to see that the street had cleared itself of people. She raced across a foot bridge and began to work her way down towards the ground level.  She would just have to hope she could find Judy once the leopard lost track of her.

The leopard snarled as it swiped at her.  Kairi ducked and weaved, thankful her smaller size let her duck under obstacles the leopard had to go around.  She spotted a staircase that spiraled around a tree up ahead and she hopped onto the handrail.

The same feeling she got when she had used her wind magic to enhance her jumping power flowed through her and she glided down the rail.  She was barely keeping ahead of the leopard. But so long as it didn't catch her, she would be fine. The bottom abruptly rushed towards her and Kairi leaped.  She rolled over damp pavement and slid under another car. The leopard jumped after her, only to get caught by an elephant in uniform.

Kairi sighed as the leopard was wrestled to the ground and carefully restrained. She tried to brush off her clothes, but she only smeared mud in deeper into her clothes and fur.  The previously white fur of her front was now caked in mud.

"Great.  And I still have to catch up to Judy, too,"  she grumbled. Kairi looked up when a shadow fell over her.

"Excuse me miss, a few witnesses say you were chased by this gentleman?" a rhino also dressed in the same uniform as the elephant asked.  Her voice was gentle as she addressed Kairi.

"Uh, yeah.  He chased me from up there." Kairi pointed up towards the footbridge the chase had started from.  The rhino jotted down some notes and nodded. The rhino opened her mouth to speak again when her radio crackled.

"We have reports of multiple predators in downtown Zootopia on the attack in front of precinct one."

The officers scrambled to load the leopard into a van and they were gone.  It seemed, looking for Judy would have to wait. Kairi just needed to get to the described downtown.  She likely couldn't do anything about what was causing the savagery, but she could do something about the Darkness.  Kairi knew it would take way too long to get there on her own two legs.

"Hey, kid!  Need a ride?" a fox called out to her.  He sat in the driver's seat of a suspicious looking van.

"What?"

"Judy owes me a favor and asked me to pick you up," he explained.  Kairi approached the van and climbed into the passenger seat.

"I need to get to precinct one," Kairi explained.

"What?  You want to wander into what looks like an all out riot between preds and the cops?"

"Can you at least get me close?" Kairi asked.  The small fox grit his teeth.

"FIne, but don't say I didn't warn you."

The van tore down the street, only stopping to let more police through.  They finally reached a block in the road caused by curious pedestrians and a blockade.

"This is far as I'm taking you, kid," he said.  Kairi shoved the door open.

"Great, thanks!" she called.  She darted between the larger animals.  She needed to get to higher ground. Kairi scaled a lamp post and jumped onto the awning of a business and started to climb.  Luckily, everyone was so distracted by the commotion that no one noticed her.

Kairi made it to the roof and ran across it.  Down below so many citizens were cloaked in heavy Darkness and attacked anyone who got too close.  She searched desperately for the source. It would do no good to leap into the fray. Even with the keyblade. She was just too small like this.

A glint of light caught her eye and Kairi could make someone out perched on another roof.  Kairi's nose twitched, and caught a whiff of Darkness coming from them. Kairi took a deep breath to steel herself and sprinted across the roof to get to the next building.  She jumped to the next building and took a second to catch her breath. How Sora did this on a regular basis was a mystery to her, but she had no time to dwell on it.

The space to the next building was too far to make in a single jump.  Kairi gripped her keyblade tight and made the leap. The second she started to drop she pointed her keyblade to the ground. 

"Wind!"

The spiralling burst of wind caught her and she was tossed upwards.  She was getting closer. But she had been noticed. Heartless pooled up from the shadows.  Quadrupedal with wicked looking claws and their eerie glowing yellow eyes. Kairi dodged one that leapt at her and lifted her keyblade to retaliate.  It smashed into a jaw and sent it spinning away.

"Fire!"

The blast knocked two heartless over the edge of the building to splat on the ground below.  Kairi blocked a set of claws and lashed out when the heartless staggered back.  

She hurried across the roof and leapt.  Something sharp pierced through her clothes and penetrated into her skin.  Kairi yelped and looked down to see what it was. A dart filled with a dark purple liquid was stuck in her shoulder.  Kairi's head spun and she stumbled. Whatever this was, it made her sick to her stomach. She reached up and yanked it out.  Her vision swam and she dropped her keyblade. It disappeared as she fell to her knees.

"Hey boss, this one's acting different.  She's a least weasel, but fought off the guards you posted.  She isn't reacting to the serum the same way. She looks like she's gonna hurl."

Kairi managed to raise her head and look up to a sheep holding a phone to his ear.  He stared at her in open curiosity. 

"Injecting her again might kill her.  These doses are potent on lions and bears, but she's a weasel."

Kairi pushed herself to her feet.  Her limbs shook with the effort and she turned her attention inward.  The entry wound radiated Darkness. She pressed a paw to it and focused.  She couldn't heal, but no curative could help this.

"Hey kid!  Can you hear me?" the sheep asked.  He bent to squint at her closely. Kairi huffed and felt her magic spread through her body.  The tiny wound glowed as her light ate away at the Darkness trying to take hold.

"I can hear you," she snarled.

"Yeah boss, she can still talk.  The serum hasn't worked through her system."

Kairi flexed a paw and her keyblade appeared in hand once again.  She still felt queasy, but whatever she had been injected with wasn't working how it should.  The sheep raised his gun, ready to fire another dart at her. She deflected it with her keyblade, and it shattered on impact.  

The sheep stumbled back to get away, but he wasn't fast enough.  Kairi snarled and leapt at him. She knocked the dart gun away and tackled him, keyblade entirely forgotten.  She had never felt so angry in her life. Her claws dragged at his wool, trying to get at his throat. She was going to make him pay for drugging her.

He knocked her off and Kairi's head slammed into the concrete.  She curled up to make herself smaller. Her skull radiated pain and her vision swam.

"What did you do to me?!" she demanded.  Anger, burning white hot coursed through her and it made her afraid.  Kairi knew that rage wasn't something she could feel. A heart of pure light guaranteed that.

"Oh just a little something that can turn anyone feral. But you're not reacting like anyone should."

Kairi's stomach rolled and she managed to get onto her knees in time for her body to utterly reject what she had been injected with.  She heaved painfully until she finally vomited up whatever was in her stomach.

Thick black bile splattered over the cement and it reeked of Darkness.  Kairi dragged herself away from it.

"Well, that's new," the sheep commented.  Kairi finally felt calm. That burning anger was ebbing away, and her head was clear, and she could finally think through the pain. She reached into her pocket and tossed back a potion in a few quick gulps.

"You and your boss are responsible for that riot down there?" she asked.  The sheep only shrugged, seemingly too smart to reveal the entire plan to her.  Kairi gnashing her teeth together and held her keyblade aloft. "Good thing i'm here to foil your plans."

Kairi charged at the sheep and ducked around him.  She brought her keyblade to bear and struck him in the back. He went down, unconscious.  Once she was sure he was down, she raced to the edge of the roof.

She had an idea, with no guarantee it was going to work.  But she had to try. If Dark magic was being used to boost the potency of the drug, she might be able to do something about that.  Kairi jumped off the edge of the building and aimed for the center of the square. The ground rushed at her and she took a deep breath to center herself. Her magic gathered around her, light seeping from under her skin and making her fur glow a more vibrant red.  Kairi channeled it down into her keyblade and felt it vibrate with the force of it.

Kairi hit the ground and slammed the teeth of her blade into the concrete.

"Light!"

Magic rushed out and flowed over the crowd surrounding her.  Several scurried to shield their eyes. Everyone infected by the serum fell over like puppets with cut strings.  It had worked. A few began to stir and get back up. A wolf shook his head and his ears swiveled forward, alert and aware.

Kairi sighed and relaxed.  Only for the wolf to suddenly pounce on an unsuspecting police officer.

"No!" she cried.  The others were getting up too.  It was clear that while she had successfully purged the Darkness from them, they were still under the chemical effects of the drug.  And now more heartless were beginning to make an appearance. 

Kairi was already exhausted, her magical stores terribly low from using so much magic in such a short amount of time.  She would just have to power through the fatigue. Her arms shook and the keyblade trembled in her grip.

The heartless were easily dispatched with only a few swings of her keyblade, but there was seemingly no end to them.  The police had their hands full keeping the savage citizens under control as it was.

Just as another heartless pooled up from the ground, it dissolved.  Dismissed, or whoever had control of them was no longer conscious.

"Chief Bogo!"

A large, grizzled water buffalo turned and followed the sound of the voice.  Through the chaos, Kairi could see Judy being helped along by a fox in a green shirt.  Behind them were more police, leading several sheep in handcuffs.

"We caught the person responsible for all this!" Judy declared.  Her words seemed to be a catalyst and each of the savage animals was subdued and loaded into vans to be taken to safe confinement. 

Kairi quietly mentioned the sheep on the roof, and he was brought down along with his own dart gun.

"I don't know who you are, but thank you for your assistance, today," the Chief said.

"Happy to help.  But my job here is done, and I should get going," she said edging away.  Kairi was tired and just wanted to get back to the gummiship. But a chime sounded through the air, and only she seemed to notice it.  She looked around and spotted it. Above the police station was a keyhole. Kairi raised her keyblade and let her instincts guide her to locking it.

"Wait, Kairi!" Judy was hurried over by the fox.  Kairi could now see that her leg was injured. "I want to give you this."

It was a carrot shaped pen.

"They've already collected the recording for evidence and something tells me you should have this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go on." Judy held out the pen more insistently. 

"Okay, thank you." Kairi took the pen and tucked it into her pocket.

"I don't know how I can thank you for your help.  If you hadn't distracted that leopard, I doubt I would have had time to find Nick and the evidence."

"Really, no thanks are necessary, I just wanted to help."

"Still, you've been incredibly helpful.  Both with this case, and for helping me realize that while I made a mistake, I can still make amends."

"Well, it was a lesson I needed to remind myself of, too," Kairi said. She stepped away.  There was a rickety cot in the back of the gummiship calling her name. Though she wasn't sure she'd make the walk out of the city.

"So, where are you headed now?" the fox asked.  Kairi realized that they hadn't been introduced.

"I need to get back to my travel companion," Kairi said. "She's just outside the city."

"Are you sure? You've only just arrived," Judy asked. 

"Uh, well, I don't want to leave her alone too long," Kairi said.  She really hoped Judy would drop it. There wasn't much reason to stay and Della was waiting.

"But-"

"Eh, let her go Carrots.  If she doesn't wanna stay, you can't make her," the fox said.  Kairi laughed nervously.

"And if I wanna get back, I should get going."

"If you're sure.  I could give you a ride out of the city," Judy offered.

"Uuuh nope, you're getting your leg looked at."  Judy was carted off against her protests and the fox turned and gave Kairi a wink.  She smiled in return and headed off.

 

By the time Kairi found the gummiship, it was dark, and she was starving.  Kairi leaned against the hull door and knocked. It slid open and she collapsed inside.

"You okay?" Della asked.

"I'm so tired.  I'm never doing that alone again," Kairi said.  She dragged the rest of her body into the ship. "Change me back please."

Della raised her staff and Kairi felt the magic wash over her.  The change was quick and painless, for which she was glad. Kairi stared at her freckled arm in relief.

"So, where to now?" Della asked. 

"You can decide.  I'm gonna sleep for a week," Kairi declared.

"You'd be more comfortable in one of the cots," Della pointed out.  Kairi slowly pushed herself to her feet and walked the few feet to the nearest cot.  She flopped face first onto it and was out like a light.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter titles will have little to with what's actually happening in the chapter, but will share a theme.


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